System for carrying a plurality of bags

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods are disclosed for carrying a plurality of items by a user. The system includes a strap for positioning adjacent a portion of a user&#39;s body, the strap having a first end and a second end. A carrier body is attached to the first end and second end of the strap has an upper surface for placement adjacent a portion of a user&#39;s body and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. A plurality of hooks are connected to the main body and are each sized for receiving a portion of an item therein.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to devices for carrying a plurality of items by a person and, more specifically, to systems configured to facilitate carrying multiple items such as shopping bags.

BACKGROUND

It is often necessary to carry multiple items, such as shopping bags, at the same time. For example, when unloading shopping bags from a vehicle, a person will typically try to carry as many bags as possible in a single trip between their vehicle and their destination in order to minimize the number of trips between the vehicle and the destination.

It is often difficult for a person to carry all of their bags in a single trip for several reasons. For example, carrying multiple bags in one's hands concentrates the weight of the bags against a relatively small portion of the hands (i.e., the anterior side of the middle and proximal phalanxes). This concentration of weight results in user discomfort and limits the number of bags which the user is able to carry in a single trip. Moreover, when carrying a number of bags, at least some of the bags may brush or contact against the user's legs as they walk, causing discomfort to the user and causing the user to alter their normal gait.

Previous attempts to solve this problem have not yielded satisfactory results. Thus, there exists a need for a more efficient and effective system to enable users to carry multiple items.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a system for carrying a plurality of shopping bags is disclosed. The system comprises a carrier body having an upper surface for placement adjacent a portion of a user's arm and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the carrier body having first and second ends, a shoulder strap having first and second ends attached to the respective first and second ends of the carrier body, the strap configured for positioning over a user's shoulder, a grip positioned proximate the first end of the shoulder strap, the grip configured for grasping by the user's hand, a cupped portion connected to the carrier body and extending away from the upper surface of the carrier body, the cupped portion positioned adjacent the second end of the carrier body and sized for receiving at least a portion of the user's elbow therein, and a plurality of hooks connected to the carrier body and sized for receiving a portion of the shopping bag therein.

In another aspect, a system for carrying a plurality of items is disclosed. The system comprises a carrier body having a upper surface for placement adjacent a portion of a user's body and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the carrier body having a first end proximate and a second end, a strap having first and second ends attached to the respective first and second ends of the carrier body, the strap configured for positioning adjacent a portion of a user's body, and a plurality of hooks connected to the carrier body and sized for receiving a portion of an item therein.

In yet another aspect, a method is disclosed for carrying a plurality of items using a carrying system including a strap for positioning adjacent a portion of a user's body, the strap having first end and second ends, the system including a carrier body attached to the first end and the second end, a plurality of hooks connected to the carrier body and sized for receiving a portion of an item therein. The method comprises positioning the strap around a portion of the user's body, positioning the upper surface of the carrier body adjacent a portion of the user's arm, and placing a portion of at least one item on one of the plurality of hooks.

Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the above-mentioned aspects. Further features may also be incorporated in the above-mentioned aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to any of the illustrated embodiments may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects, alone or in any combination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shopping bag carrier system and a user wearing the system;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a left side view of the system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a back view of the system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the system of FIG. 2 with the strap removed;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the system of FIG. 2 with the strap removed; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the system of FIG. 2 and a user utilizing the system to carry a plurality of shopping bags.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of a system for carrying a plurality of items is shown in FIG. 1 and referred to generally with reference numeral 100. The system broadly includes a strap 110, a carrier body 120, and a plurality of hooks 150, each of which is described below in greater detail. The system is used by a user 200 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 9) to carry a plurality of items 210 (shown in phantom in FIG. 9) on the hooks 150 attached to the carrier body 120. In the depicted embodiment, these items 210 are shopping bags, although other items having a structure operable to be received within or engage the hooks 150 may be carried by the system 100. For example, items having loops, handles, or other suitable structures may be carried by the hooks 150 of the system 100. Moreover, the hooks 150 may be configured differently to carry other types of items.

The shoulder strap 110 shown in FIG. 1 has a first end 112 and a second end 114. The strap 110 is adjustable in length such that it can accommodate users of varying stature. Moreover, in some embodiments, the strap 110 may be positioned around a portion of the user's neck and/or shoulder. A pad 116 is also positioned around a portion of the strap 110 to distribute the weight of the system 100 and the items 210 carried by the system across the portion of the user's body contacted by the pad. The pad 116 is formed from a compliant material, such as foam, although other materials may be used instead of or in addition to foam. In the example embodiment, the pad 116 is movable along the length of the strap 110 to accommodate changes in length of the strap and/or users of varying stature. The strap 110 is formed from a nylon web in the example embodiment but may be formed from other suitable materials in other embodiments.

The carrier body 120 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2-8 and has an upper surface 122, a lower surface 124, a first end 126 and a second end 128. An inner sidewall 130 and an outer sidewall 132 connect the upper surface 122 and lower surface 124. The first end 126 of the carrier body 120 is attached to the first end 112 of the strap 110. Similarly, the second end 126 of the carrier body 120 is attached to the second end 114 of the strap 110. The ends 112, 114 of the strap 100 may be attached to the respective ends 126, 128 of the carrier body 120 with any suitable fastening system. Moreover, in other embodiments, the strap 110 extends between the first and second ends 126, 128 of the carrier body 120 along the lower surface 124 of the carrier body 120.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the hooks 150 have an inwardly projecting portion disposed adjacent their terminal end that helps prevent items 210 from slipping off of the hooks if the system 100 is rotated about a longitudinal axis of the carrier body 120. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the plurality of hooks 150 extends from the outer sidewall 132 of the carrier body 120. In other embodiments, the hooks 150 extend from the lower surface 124 of the carrier body 120 while in still other embodiments some number of hooks extends from the outer sidewall 132 while the others extend from the lower surface. Five hooks 150 are used in the example embodiment, although other embodiments may use a different number of hooks. The hooks 150 are of sufficient strength such that they are not significantly deformed when items 210 are hung from the hooks.

In the example embodiment, the hooks 150 are integrally formed with the carrier body 120 during manufacture of the body. For example, the hooks 150 and carrier body 120 may be formed in an injection molding process as an integral casting. In other embodiments, the hooks 150 are formed in a separate process (e.g., an injection molding process) and later attached to the carrier body 120 with adhesive or another suitable fastening system.

A cupped portion 140 is connected to the carrier body 120 and extends away from the upper surface 122 of the carrier body. The cupped portion 140 is positioned adjacent the second end 128 of the carrier body 120 and is sized for receiving at least a portion of the user's elbow therein. In the example embodiment, the cupped portion 140 and carrier body 120 are integrally formed with the body during manufacture of the body. For example, the cupped portion 140 and carrier body 120 may be formed in an injection molding process as an integral casting. In other embodiments, the cupped portion 140 is formed in a separate process (e.g., an injection molding process) and later attached to the carrier body 120 with adhesive or another suitable fastening system.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 7, the cupped portion 140 has an inner sidewall 142, an outer sidewall 144, and a curved section 146 that form a pocket 148 for receiving at least a portion of the user's elbow. The inner sidewall 142 of the cupped portion 140 extends upwards from the inner sidewall 130 of the carrier body 120. Similarly, the outer sidewall 144 of the cupped portion 140 extends upwards from the outer sidewall 132 of the carrier body 120. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner sidewall 142 of the cupped portion 140 extends towards the first end 126 of the carrier body 120 a greater distance than does the outer sidewall 144 of the cupped portion. Moreover, the outer sidewall 144 of the cupped portion 140 extends upwards from the carrier body 120 a greater distance than the inner sidewall 142. In other embodiments, these relative sizes of the sidewalls 142, 144 of the cupped portion 140 may be altered.

As shown in FIG. 2, padding 152 is positioned adjacent the cupped portion 140 to cushion and/or support the user's elbow and portions of their arm in contact with the cupped portion. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 7, padding 154 is also positioned adjacent the upper surface 122 of the carrier body 120 to cushion and/or support a portion of the user's arm that is in contact with the upper surface when the system 100 is in use. In the example embodiment, the padding 152, 154 positioned adjacent the cupped portion 140 and upper surface 122 is a compliant material such as foam, while in other embodiments the padding may be formed from other materials.

A curved body-facing portion 160, as shown in FIGS. 2-8, is positioned adjacent the inner sidewall 130 of the carrier body 120 in the example embodiment and spaces the carrier body (and thus the items 210 hanging from the hooks 150) away from the user's abdomen. In this embodiment, the body-facing portion 160 also distributes the load applied by the items 210 hanging from the hooks 150 across the side of the user's abdomen equal to the surface area of the body-facing portion.

An inner surface 162 of the body-facing portion 160 is configured for contact against the side of a user's abdomen during use of the system. The profile of the body-facing portion 160 and its inner surface 162 is curved in order to complement the curve of the user's abdomen against which it will rest when the system 100 is in use. Padding 164, similar to or the same as the padding 152, 154 described above, is positioned adjacent the inner surface 162 of the body-facing portion 160 in the example embodiment to cushion and/or support a portion of the user's abdomen in contact with the inner surface.

In the example embodiment, the body-facing portion 160 is formed separately (e.g., in an injection molding process) from the carrier body 120 and attached to the inner sidewall 130 of the carrier body with adhesive or other suitable fastening systems. In other embodiments, the body-facing portion 160 and the carrier body 120 are formed in the same injection molding process. In still other embodiments, the body-facing portion 160 is formed integrally with the inner sidewall 130 of the carrier body 120 such that the inner sidewall has a similar curved profile to complement the user's abdomen. In these embodiments, the body-facing portion 160 is a region of the carrier body 120. The carrier body 120 is wider than that of the example embodiment in these embodiments in order to space the hooks 150 (and thus the items 210 hanging from the hooks) away from the user's abdomen.

A grip 170 (FIGS. 2 and 3) (broadly, a tubular member) is positioned proximate the first end 112 of the strap 110 in the example embodiment and is configured for grasping by the user's hand. The grip 170 has a length that is approximately equal to the width of the user's hand. The grip is a semi-rigid structure in the example embodiment that is comfortable for the user to grasp and may have padding or another compliant material positioned on the exterior of the grip.

The carrier body 120, hooks 150, cupped portion 140, and body-facing portion 160 are formed in an injection molding process in the example embodiment. These components may be integrally formed during a common injection molding process, or may instead be formed separately and attached to the carrier body 120 with adhesive or other suitable fastening systems. Various plastics may be used in the injection molding process to form the carrier body 120, hooks 150, cupped portion 140, and body-facing portion 160. The components may also be formed according to processes other than injection molding without departing from the scope of the embodiments.

In operation, the user 200 utilizes the system 100 to carry a plurality of items 210 (e.g., shopping bags). The user 200 positions the strap 110 around a portion of their body, such as their neck and/or shoulder. The user 200 then positions the upper surface 122 of the carrier body 120 against a portion of their body and places at least a portion of their elbow in the pocket 148 and adjacent the cupped portion 140. The user 200 may then grasp the grip 170 with their hand. Alternatively, the user 200 may grasp the grip 170 before placing the items 210 on the hooks.

The user 200 then places a portion of at least one item 210 (e.g., a portion of a handle of a shopping bag) on one of the plurality of hooks 150 with their other hand. The user 200 may continue to place a portion of other items 210 on other hooks 150. The user 200 may also rotate their arm and the system 100 to place the system adjacent their front side while loading items 210 onto the hooks 150.

The user 200 can then walk to their destination and then remove the items 210 from the hooks 150. The user 200 can then remove their arm from the system 100 and remove the shoulder strap 110. In other embodiments, the user 200 may position items 210 on the hooks 150 prior to donning the system 100.

The system 100 described herein permits the user 200 to easily carry multiple items 210, while more comfortably distributing the weight of the items. The weight of the items is distributed across multiple points on the user's body. For example, the weight of the items 210 hung from the hooks 150 is distributed across the user's shoulder area by the strap 110 and across the side of the abdomen by the portion 160 or inner sidewall 130 of the carrier body 120. Using the system 100, the user 200 is able to carry items of greater weight than otherwise would be able to because the weight of the items is distributed over a larger area of the user's body. Contrastingly, in situations where the user 200 carries multiple items 210 without the aid of the system 210, the entire weight of the items is focused on a small area of the user's body (i.e., the anterior side of the middle and proximal phalanxes), resulting in discomfort for the user.

The placement of the hooks 150 and body-facing portion 160 and/or inner sidewall 130 of the system 100 described herein spaces items 210 hung from the hooks from the body of the user 200 wearing the system. This spacing prevents the user's legs from contacting the items and interfering with the normal walking of the user.

The spacing of the items 210 hung from the hooks 150 from the body of the user 200 wearing the system also creates a triangular geometry between the items, the body-facing portion 160 and point of contact of the strap 110 and the user's body. This triangular geometry creates a tension and/or wedge effect that results in a gained mechanical advantage when items 210 are carried by the system 100. This spacing and the resulting mechanical advantage transfer a portion of the weight of the items 210 to the body-facing portion 160 and away from the point of contact of the strap 110 and the user's body. Moreover, this tension and/or wedge effect also prevents movement of the system 100 with respect to the user 200 by application of force by the body-facing portion against the user's abdomen and the resulting friction between the two. The user 200 may further increase this wedge-like affect by exerting downward force on the carrier body 120 with their arm that is in contact with the carrier body or their hand that is grasping the grip 170.

When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

As various changes could be made in the above without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 

1. A system for carrying a plurality of shopping bags, the system comprising: a carrier body having an upper surface for placement adjacent a portion of a user's arm and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the carrier body having first and second ends; a shoulder strap having first and second ends attached to the respective first and second ends of the carrier body, the strap configured for positioning over a user's shoulder; a grip positioned proximate the first end of the shoulder strap, the grip configured for grasping by the user's hand; a cupped portion connected to the carrier body and extending away from the upper surface of the carrier body, the cupped portion positioned adjacent the second end of the carrier body and sized for receiving at least a portion of the user's elbow therein; and a plurality of hooks connected to the carrier body and sized for receiving a portion of the shopping bag therein.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the carrier body comprises an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall connecting the upper surface and the lower surface, and wherein the plurality of hooks are connected to the outer sidewall.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the cupped portion comprises a sidewall extending away from the upper surface of the carrier body.
 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of hooks are connected to the lower surface of the carrier body.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of hooks are a first plurality of hooks and further comprising a second plurality of hooks connected to the lower surface of the carrier body, the second plurality of hooks sized for receiving at least a portion of a shopping bag therein.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the grip has a length, and wherein the length is approximately equal to the width of the user's hand.
 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the shoulder strap has a length that is adjustable.
 8. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one of padding positioned adjacent the cupped portion and padding positioned adjacent the upper surface of the carrier body.
 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the carrier body comprises an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall connecting the upper surface and lower surface, and further comprising a curved body-facing portion positioned adjacent the outer sidewall configured contact adjacent a user's abdomen.
 10. A system for carrying a plurality of items, the system comprising: a carrier body having a upper surface for placement adjacent a portion of a user's body and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the carrier body having a first end proximate and a second end; a strap having first and second ends attached to the respective first and second ends of the carrier body, the strap configured for positioning adjacent a portion of a user's body; and a plurality of hooks connected to the carrier body and sized for receiving a portion of an item therein.
 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the strap is configured for positioning around at least one of a user's neck and shoulder.
 12. The system of claim 10 wherein the carrier body comprises an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall connecting the upper surface and lower surface, and wherein at least one of the plurality of hooks are connected to the outer sidewall.
 13. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the plurality of hooks is connected to the lower surface of the carrier body.
 14. The system of claim 10 further comprising padding positioned adjacent the upper surface of the carrier body.
 15. The system of claim 10 further comprising a tubular member positioned around the strap adjacent the first end of the strap, the tubular member configured for grasping by a user's hand.
 16. The system of claim 10 further comprising a cupped portion connected to the carrier body and extending away from the upper surface of the carrier body, the cupped portion positioned adjacent the second end of the carrier body and sized for receiving at least a portion of the user's arm therein.
 17. The system of claim 16 wherein the cupped portion comprises a pair of sidewalls extending away from the upper surface of the carrier body, one of the cupped portion sidewalls adjacent an outer sidewall of the carrier body and the other of the cupped portion sidewalls adjacent an inner sidewall of the carrier body.
 18. The system of claim 16 wherein the cupped portion comprises a sidewall extending away from the upper surface of the carrier body adjacent an inner sidewall of the carrier body.
 19. The system of claim 10 further comprising a curved body-facing portion positioned adjacent an inner sidewall of the carrier body, the body-facing portion configured for contact adjacent a user's abdomen.
 20. A method for carrying a plurality of items using a carrying system including a strap for positioning adjacent a portion of a user's body, the strap having first end and second ends, the system including a carrier body attached to the first end and the second end, a plurality of hooks connected to the carrier body and sized for receiving a portion of an item therein, the method comprising: positioning the strap around a portion of the user's body; positioning the upper surface of the carrier body adjacent a portion of the user's arm; and placing a portion of at least one item on one of the plurality of hooks.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein positioning the strap around a portion of the user's body comprises positioning the strap around at least one of the user's neck and shoulder.
 22. The method of claim 20 wherein placing a portion of at least one item on one of the plurality of hooks comprises position at least a portion of handle of at least one item on one of the plurality of hooks.
 23. The method of claim 20 wherein at least one of the plurality of items is a bag. 